February 24, 2015

This week was awesome! Great experiences with my companion and roommates. Our teacher, Hermano Avila, is really cool. He severd in "The Best Mission" the church has to offer. Ft. Lauderdale, Florida Spanish speaking. He was there when Spencer was in Florida. Oh, I had a sub one day who served in Asuncion. He was also in Taylor's MTC district. Hermano Clark.

Okay so the important info that I wanted to share about Elder Berg and I is that we are now the Zone Leaders. The branch presidency said they knew from the minute we met them that we would be able to lead the zone. So we are excited about that. But something even better happened! It has to do with our investigator, Madi. We challenged her to be baptized and she said yes! We were really excited because no one else in our district was able to get her to commit to it and the two of us just really taught by the spirit with her and committed her. However, the next day wasn't too great. We found out that she is actually our second teacher who had been playing the role of an investigator. So we have two teachers, Hermano Avila and Herman Daly (Madi). She is from Eagle and Elder Berg knows her brother. So now we have our investigator, Brian Solis, and both of our teachers are also being investigators now. So also Gilberto and Encarnie.

Well I hope you all enjoy the photos below. Just some of the random things we do and some great pictures at the temple. My mom will have more in a few weeks to share with everyone. I hope all is well for you all. Let me now if there is anything that I can do for you! If you wanna know about something in particular, feel free to ask! I love getting to hear from you all.

Sincerely,

Elder Grant M Salinas

Argentina Rosario

Mom!!,

Things are just flying by here! Our teachers are awesome and learning Spanish is amazing! That is awesome that you both had headshots done! I bet McCall just had a hay day with that! She is gonna be in high school when I get home!

Answers:

1. HOW IS THE FOOD? MTC food is actually pretty good! I wish that you weren't able to get more than one serving though because I always do and I've already put on like 5 pounds.

2. WHAT IS YOUR SCHEDULE LIKE:

6:00 Wake up
7:00 Daily planning with companion.
7:45 Breakfast
8:15 Class Block: Study (Personal, Companion, Language)
12:30 Lunch
1:15 Class Block: Teacher Time
4:15 Gym
5:45 Dinner
6:30 Class Block: The other teacher
9:30 Prepare for bed
10:30 Lights out.

3. TELL ME ABOUT YOUR NEW CALLING: Elder Berg and I are the Online Coordinators. So we show the new missionaries in our zone how to use the computers. Oh, and we're also the Zone Leaders so that's pretty cool. We have a cell phone for that haha.

4. WHO ARE THE OTHER TWO MISSIONARIES IN YOUR ROOM? Elder Gifford is from Oregon up by Carlos and Amy. He can be funny at times, He is also the District Leader. Elder Baker is from Texas...or if you ask him, TayHaus.

5. BLAYLOCKS POSTED A PIC OF YOU AND MADDIE, WHO ELSE HAVE YOU RUN INTO? Sister Blaylock, Jordan Singleton (mission prep), Adam Cobbs neighbor. A wrestler from Bonneville that doesn't like Columbia because we always win, and then a bunch of people from the Eagle and Meridian area.

Total coincidence that I saw Dalton at the temple. He was trying to be cool and scope for the "Sweet Spirits" which are definitely here.

I love the picture of Bella!! She is getting big! I will send some pictures in the email every week but then I will just send you my SD card like two weeks before I leave.

If you all wanna just email me on Monday nights that would be great because I just come print off my emails after the temple and then write down what I want to say during laundry time so that I can just type it later.

I love you Mom! Thanks for always believing in me! It is definitely hard here but if you stop worrying so much about the little things and just lose yourself in the service, it is so much easier!

Hasta la semana!

Love you,

Elder Salinas

February 17, 2015

My first week in the MTC was awesome! My companion is Elder Berg. He is from Meridian, ID. I guess you could say He is pretty cool. ;) Our district has four elders and five sisters. We're all going to Argentina except one elder who is going to Washington and one sister who is going to Denver. The other two districts in our zone both leave next week so it will just be us. Let me get the basics of the MTC out of the way, The food is actually really good, no I don't know if I've gained weight. Classes are long but soo good! The spirit is so strong everyday! And my spanish is coming along great! WE've taught 3 investigators, Madi, Brian, and Oscar (just another missionary from our zone). All of our lessons are in Spanish though so that can be difficult at times but the Spirit is still there. We had a devotional Sunday night and Elder Allen of the Quorum of the 70 came. He spoke about being obedient and having the spirit. Such a good talk! We went to the temple early this morning (5:30 am) and it was a great session. The Provo temple is way bigger than the Boise temple. Oh, on Sunday afternoon we went and waked around the temple. So many missionaries and so many people that "just happened to be there" at the same time as their missionary Boyfriend or Girlfriend. But anyways, Brother Brooks from the branch presidency pulled Elder Berg and I aside to talk to us about our District Leaders and something else. So stay tuned to next week waiting to hear what that news is about. (I can't say until after next Sunday) I can't wait to see how much better my Spanish is when I am actually out in the field. It can only go up from here. Super excited about that!

Thanks for supporting me in my mission everyone!! I love you all and will see you in Two Years!!

P.S. I love getting emails and Dear Elders. If anyone wants to send my a Dear Elder or a letter or something, my address is


Elder Grant Mann Salinas
MAR23 ARG-ROS
2009 N 900 E Unit 104
Provo UT 84602


Thanks again,

Elder Grant M Salinas
Argentina Rosario

February 12, 2015

Hola Madre!!

I´m here and doing good! Our branch president told us to send home an email to our parents tonight saying that we are here and doing good.

I´m not gonna go too much into detail but everything is going great! My companion is awesome! He is from Meridian, Elder Berg!

My Pday is on Tuesday. Not sure what time I will be on the computers but it is Tuesday.

I love you Mom!

I hope the car ride home was good. I will see you on Mothers day from Argentina!